This invention relates to underfloor lifts, and particularly, though not exclusively, to underfloor passenger lifts for use in association with coaches and similar vehicles.
1. Field of the Invention
2. Description of Related Art
Underfloor passenger lifts are known and generally include a stowage box which is fixedly mounted beneath the floor of the vehicle. A load-carrying platform is mounted on a carriage which can be moved inwardly and outwardly of the stowage box, the platform being stowed away in the box when not in use and being presented for use when out of the box. Movement of the platform is provided by a lifting mechanism, which is conveniently operated hydraulically.
The platform is provided, at one or both ends, with a hinged bridging-plate. When the platform is deployed, the bridging-plate extends from the platform to the ground or to the interior of the vehicle (as the case may be).
Underfloor lifts as described in the two immediately-preceding paragraphs will hereinafter be referred to as xe2x80x9cunderfloor lifts (as hereinbefore defined)xe2x80x9d.
Current underfloor lifts generally require relatively large bridging-plates associated with their respective platforms, because of the potentially large gap between a raised platform and a floor of a coach. The large gap becomes more of a problem when the height of the coach floor relative to the ground exceeds about 3 to 4 feet, as is found, for example, on coaches of the type used for lengthy journeys (e.g. in North America). In such cases, the height of the raised platform above the ground can cause anxiety to the person on the platform.
It is an aim of the present invention to ameliorate the above-mentioned problems by permitting the decrease of the gap between the platform and the coach floor.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an underfloor lift (as hereinbefore defined) further comprising a saddle member fixedly mounted under the floor of the vehicle to receive the stowage box together with its associated platform and lifting mechanism, in sliding engagement.
The saddle member may conveniently be of substantially quadrilateral section. The saddle member may therefore be substantially parallelepiped, (including rhomboid and cuboid), in configuration. Alternatively, the saddle member may be substantially trapezoid in configuration.
The stowage box is preferably of complementary configuration to the saddle member, to enable it to be received by the saddle member in sliding engagement. The saddle member may be fixedly attached to the underfloor of the coach (or to a cavity provided therein) by means of bolts, screws, rivets, adhesives, welding or the like.
The stowage box is, in use, moveable substantially longitudinally relative to the saddle member.
The stowage box may be received and located by means of roller bearings provided on the saddle member. The stowage box preferably has one or more external rails, each of which is located by said roller bearings.
Sliding movement of the stowage box relative to the saddle member may be achieved by means of a hydraulically-actuated piston mounted on the saddle member. Alternatively, a pneumatically-actuated piston or linear actuator may be used. Alternatively, a rack and pinion assembly may also be used to move the stowage box.
The lifting mechanism is slidably extended from and received into the stowage box by means of a hydraulically-actuated piston. Alternatively, a pneumatically-actuated piston may be used. Alternatively, a gear system may be used in operative association with the stowage box.
The load-bearing platform is supported on the lifting mechanism for pivotal movement.
In the operation of a lift according to the present invention, the movement of the stowage box outwardly of the saddle member (and hence outwardly of the coach) enables the platform, when raised to the level of the entrance of the coach, to be deployed at a relatively short distance from the coach. Accordingly, only a relatively short bridging-plate will be needed to span the gap between the platform and the coach.
The bridging-plate may be deployed relative to the platform by means of an electric motor. Alternatively, the bridging-plate may be deployed by means of a pneumatically-actuated piston or a hydraulically-actuated piston.
The load-bearing platform may further comprise a ramp stop, which may be operated by means of an electric motor, a pneumatically-actuated piston or a hydraulically-actuated piston.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: